We charge a £100 security deposit but feel it is only a deterrent as usually people conceal any damage and we don't discover it until after we have returned the cheque.
Just last week we discovered a backless vase which had been propped up on the shelf. We would not have charged for it but I am annoyed it was hidden in that way.
The same people had burnt out the element on the kettle by plugging it in without water in it. I had wiped the kettle over but unfortunately not noticed the element.
We have charged for a window broken by a football and a smashed toilet seat but both things that guests have had to confess to.
In our last year Apart from the broken crockery which we allow for, we have had a cracked iron, a cup thrown against the wall and the mess hidden by the videos, a nail banged in a door to hang a coat up despite the hooks in the hall outside, a large piece of wood gouged out of the staircase and then propped back into place, broken tiles, ruined mattress covers, bed spreads, broken lamps, broken fridge shelves, squashed mosquitoes on the walls, dented saucepans, damaged garden ornaments, missing books/cds, damaged furniture.
we only let for 11 weeks.
My question is- is this normal?
Obviously the lesson we need to learn is to check more carefully before sending back the deposit.
I would be most interested to hear of others experiences.
Francoise
how much damage?
Our first ever guests were lovely people but seemed to cursed. Two beds collasped and believe me they were hardwood sturdy beds and no it was not the adults but two young children. They swore blind jumping on the beds was not too blame. Next they broke an electric insect killer by placing a towel over it. The brand new never used before washing broke caused by a leak. The water pump failed as well some plates and glasses were broken. Then they phoned to say they had lost the keys but luckily found them an hour later. I am sure more happened but my memory is failing me. After this I was a nervous wreck and wondered what I had got myself into.
However for the rest of the season we had only one plate and two glasses and absolutely nothing else in about 14 weeks of bookings. We do supply a free of charge travel planning service which means we are in touch with our guests frequently finding them flights and car hire deals so build up a personal relationship with them. The local reps are my in laws and they are have made freinds with all the guests so far and help them with all sorts of things including getting cars fixed etc. Several also booked Suleman my father in law as a private chauffeur so got to know him really well. This means they see us as real people I suppose so it would be harder for them to hide things and may make them more careful.
I am sure our run of luck will not continue but in a way we got it all in one go so it may be more spaced out next time. I do have my eager eyed mother in law on the case though and believe me nothing escapes her attention so guests beware you have been warned.
However for the rest of the season we had only one plate and two glasses and absolutely nothing else in about 14 weeks of bookings. We do supply a free of charge travel planning service which means we are in touch with our guests frequently finding them flights and car hire deals so build up a personal relationship with them. The local reps are my in laws and they are have made freinds with all the guests so far and help them with all sorts of things including getting cars fixed etc. Several also booked Suleman my father in law as a private chauffeur so got to know him really well. This means they see us as real people I suppose so it would be harder for them to hide things and may make them more careful.
I am sure our run of luck will not continue but in a way we got it all in one go so it may be more spaced out next time. I do have my eager eyed mother in law on the case though and believe me nothing escapes her attention so guests beware you have been warned.
Always Learning
You two ladies are reassuring me that it doesn't just happen to me!
I honestly don't know what the answer is...we've been talking about it in different threads including charging for end of stay clean.
It seems whne you charge less you get damage..is it the type of person? Then again I've had a Barrister and his family stay...the damage they did is unreal to include using the coffee table as a foot stool and breaking it (they didn't do it - our cleaners let us down!!)...
then there's the member of government who was in one of the houses for 2 weeks & left all the rubbish in garage in August - black ooze marks still stain the concrete...I won't tell you how many maggots & flies there were...I honestly thought all rubbish putting out was common sense
....then our Americans who managed to block the fosse with the toilet on the first floor back filling & flooding the whole house....even though I explained what could and couldn't go down the loo!
So in a nutshell it seems it is a numbers game - one in 20/30 is horrible!!
Keep smiling!!
I honestly don't know what the answer is...we've been talking about it in different threads including charging for end of stay clean.
It seems whne you charge less you get damage..is it the type of person? Then again I've had a Barrister and his family stay...the damage they did is unreal to include using the coffee table as a foot stool and breaking it (they didn't do it - our cleaners let us down!!)...
then there's the member of government who was in one of the houses for 2 weeks & left all the rubbish in garage in August - black ooze marks still stain the concrete...I won't tell you how many maggots & flies there were...I honestly thought all rubbish putting out was common sense
....then our Americans who managed to block the fosse with the toilet on the first floor back filling & flooding the whole house....even though I explained what could and couldn't go down the loo!
So in a nutshell it seems it is a numbers game - one in 20/30 is horrible!!
Keep smiling!!